Using Peat To Lower Water pH

[Christel]

Spraying is definitely only done with very soft water, because otherwise the lime blocks the nozzles. The emersed plants are in a heavily fertilized nutrient solution (I once measured over 1000 µS/cm a few years ago). The pH will be acid so that the nutrients can be absorbed. But exact information is usually not disclosed by the companies. (I hope I translated the English words correctly).

 

[jaypeecee]

No ~ But seeing as I've time on my hands I've emailed dennerle and asked the question. You never know they might reply.

Hi @John q

Looking at Dennerle's website, I was interested to read:

"In our aquaria we ought to mimic the natural habitat of the animals and plants we keep as closely as possible. Appropriate water parameters, a balanced aquarium, are not only the basis for healthy, colorful animals and plants, they also enable us to have an unhindered look into this impressive aquatic community".

JPC

 

[John q]

Yes Aquafleur have something similar on the website.

"Every day, 250,000 litres of water are circulated through the computer-controlled water treatment equipment, and atmospheric humidity, degree of acidity, temperature and the required nutritional value are closely monitored."

Will let you know if dennerle reply.

 

[jaypeecee]

The pH will be acid so that the nutrients can be absorbed.

Hi @Christel & Everyone

Thanks very much for your reply, Christel. You have confirmed what I suspected. So, my question now is - does it make sense to transfer aquarium plants from water that has a pH<7 to water that has pH>7 and expect the plants to adapt (suddenly) to their new environment? Indeed, is it reasonable to expect them to adapt at all? And, should we not be growing many of our aquarium plants in water that has a pH<7? Would it be appropriate to aim for the pH range that I quoted above, namely 5.8 to 6.3? Ah, but another thought has just entered my head and that is - since aquarium plants are often/always cultivated (by the supplier) with their leaves emersed and their roots bathed in an hydroponic solution, we as aquarists then grow our plants with the roots (typically) in the substrate and the rest of the plant (stem, leaves, etc.) in the water column.

This is too much for me to get my head around. Your help and everyone else's help would be greatly appreciated.

JPC

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Although all three parameters are often correlated in nature, under artificial tapwater conditions they may not be

That is right, unless you live somewhere with <"fairly unusual "water"> ("water" is really a dilute solution of salts with H2O as a solvent) that hardness will be from dissolved limestone (CaCO3) and give 1:1 dGH/dKH.

If you start with DI water (H2O) you <"can have any combination of dGH and dKH">, although you are still constrained by the <"limited solubility of carbonates">

I was under the impression that some plants can use carbonate from the water if there's a lack of co2?
I'm sure I've read vallisneria is one of them but could have dreamt that.

You are right, but as @jaypeecee's <"bicarbonate (HCO3-) ion">..

Spraying is definitely only done with very soft water, because otherwise the lime blocks the nozzles. The emersed plants are in a heavily fertilized nutrient solution

Certainly my experience of <"working in commercial horticulture">. Rainwater is used in the <"Princess of Wales Conservatory" at RBG Kew"> etc.

cheers Darrel

 

[jaypeecee]

And, should we not be growing many of our aquarium plants in water that has a pH<7?

Hi Everyone,

Obviously, CO2 injection lowers pH but we can't rely on this alone to obtain the correct water pH - whatever that happens to be. The risk of asphyxiating fish is always there. And acidosis. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about shrimp and snails and their tolerance of CO2 and acidity.

JPC